Device for opening bobby pins



June 24, 1952 w. F. 'COGSWELL DEVICE FOR OPENING BOBBY PINS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 6, 1947 War/fer- E Cogswe/l INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY June 1952 w. F. COGSWELL DEVICE FOR OPENING BOBBY PINS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 6, 1947 a 3 4 Jv y% 9 Z i 4. 3 L 4 Wa/fer F. Cogswel/ INVENTOR.

BY 7 A Mr A T TOR/VEV June 24, 1952 w. F. COGSWELL 2,601,590

DEVICE FOR OPENING BOBBY PINS Filed June 6, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 54 Wa/f-er F. Cogswel/ I IN VEN TOR.

WHW

Patented June 24, 1 952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,601,590 DEVICE FOR OPENING BOBBY PINS Walter F. Cogswell, Colorado Springs, 0010. as-

signor to Bobopen, Inc., Colorado Springs, (3010., a corporation of Colorado Application June 6, 1947, Serial No. 752,915

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to a device for opening bobby pins. It has to do particularly with means of varied form to permit the quick, easy and safe opening or spreading of bobby pins prior to application to the hair.

It has been the common practice of women in dressing their hair and of beauty parlor operators or hairdressers to open or spread bobby pins by use of the teeth or the finger nails. This practice, when continued over considerable periods of time has caused irreparable damage to the teeth and has also not only damaged the finger nails but has'removed the polish from the finger nails. Members of the dental profession have been cognizant of the fact for some time that much damage has been done to the human teeth by virtue of using them in an effort to open bobby pins. Because of the widespread use of bobby pins, there has obviously been done considerable and widespread damage to the human teeth and to the finger nails.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide improved means for opening or spreading bobby pins which completely eliminates the necessity of the use of the human teeth or of the finger nails for this purpose.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved means for the foregoing purpose which is capable of being easily and comfortably held in the mouth of the user; it being a further object to provide said means with a portion capable of being subjected to biting pressure to hold the device in its position of use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a bobby pin opening device capable of being held in the mouth and which is invisible so as to have its projecting portion with which the bobby pins are brought into engagement located either to the left side or to the right side of the center of the mouth, dependent upon whether or not the user is a lefthanded person or a righthanded person.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved device for opening bobby pins which is formed from any suitable material, such as plastic, metal, rubber, or the like and one which may be produced by quantity production at relatively low cost.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved device or means of the foregoing invention which is capable of being quickly and easily removably attached to the arm or wrist of the user.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved device of the foregoing character having a portion adapted to fit within the mouth of the user in the space located between the upper and lower gums and teeth and the upper and lower lips of the user.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved bobby pin opening device formed from plastic or other suitable material, having a portion capable of fitting within the panying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one form of means or device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical developed sectional view, partly in elevation, through the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational View of a modified form of bobby pin opening device embodying the invention and adapted to be removably applied or attached to the human arm or wrist;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a further modified form of device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of a further modified form of device embodying the present invention:

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of the form of device shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 99 of Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 10 is a front elevational view of a still further modified form of the present invention;

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line H-ll of Fig. 10; looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 12 is affragmentary detail view of another form of device embodying the present invention. v

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. It is to be understood also that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intendedto limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown in these figures one form of means or device for opening or spread- 3 ing bobby pinsembodying the present invention. The device of this form comprises a convex member or surface I4 of substantially arcuate form or crescent shape which is adapted to fit within the mouth of a human being between the upper and lower jaws in position to be subjected to a biting pressure by the upper and lower sets of teeth. As shown, the portion I4 is provided in its upper face with a groove or depression l5 and with a series of recesses or depressions IS, the depressions l5 and 16 being adapted to receive the biting portions of the upper teeth. The underside of the portion 14 is provided with a similar groove or depression I1 and with a series of depressions [8 generally similar to the depressions or recesses Hi. It is to be understood that the upper set of depressions or recesses l5 and I6 is disposed somewhat forwardly of the corresponding lower set of depressions l1 and I8, this for the reason that the set of upper teeth [9 are disposed slightly in advance of the set of lower teeth 23 when the teeth are in their biting position as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Extending forwardly from the portion 14 is a relatively narrow interconnecting portion 2| which is adapted to be disposed between the upper lip 22 and the lower lip 23. The portion 2| merges with an enlarged head portion shown as a whole at 24 which is disposed outside the lips 22 and 23. The spacing between portions I4 and 24 provides adequate clearance for the lips of a user as shown in the drawings.

The upper portion of the forward or front wall of the external portion or member 24 is concave as shown at 25. The lower portion of this forward wall is similarly concave, as shown at 26. The two portions, namely, the upper and lower portions are separated, as shown, by an undercut shoulder or projection 21, see Fig. 2. The concave portions 25 and 26 provide guide surfaces so that the leg of a bobby pin will be naturally directed by the hand into engagement with projection 21. The back face of the member or portion 24 is also preferably concave as seen at 28 so as to present a comfortable surface which may be contacted by'the upper lip when the device is gripped as seen in Fig. 2.

As seen in Fig. 1, the axis from front to back of the portions -2l and 24 of the device is out of line with the corresponding axis of the arcuate member 14. If desired, however, the axis of these portions 2| and 24 may be in line with the corresponding axis of said arcuate member l4. By providing the projecting portions with their axis from front to back at' one or the other side of the corresponding axis of member l4, the entire device may be turned over or reversed and used for the convenience of either a lefthanded or righthanded person.

When it is desired to open bobby pins such as that shown at P in Fig. 2, the operator places the device in her mouth bringing the teeth into gripping engagement with the portion l4, as shown. The bobby pin is then grasped at the looped end between the forefinger and thumb of the operator and the long leg I3 of the pin has its free end brought into engagement with the concave, curved or depressed guide surface 26 and moved upwardly into the groove defined by the projection or shoulder 21. With the pin in this position, outward movement or pullon the Thus, the bobby pin which isnow open or the drawing, there is shown in these figures a device for opening bobby pins which is adapted to be applied to the arm or wrist of the user rather than to be held in the mouth. In the present form of the invention, the device comprises a curved or arch-shaped body portion or base '29 having an upwardly projecting portion 30 connected to the base by a web 3|. The base is provided at its opposite ends with closed loops 32 to support the ends of a wrist or arm v.encircling an attaching strap or band 3.3. The projecting portion 30 is generally like the projecting portion .24 of Figs. 1 and 2 and has an upper concave face portion 34 and a lower concave face portion 35, there being an undercut shoulder or projection 36 disposed horizontally between the two portions. It will be understood that when the device of Figs. 3 and 4 is fastened on the arm or wrist of the user, the free end of the long leg portion of a bobby pin is brought into engagement with the surface 35 and with the undercut shoulder 36, whereupon outward pull or pressure on the pin will separate or spread the leg portions thereof.

In Figs. 5 and 6, a further modified form of the present invention is shown. In this form. the device comprises a body or base portion 31 of arched or curved formation which is adapted to be held within the mouth and in the space between the upper and lower lips 22 and '23, respectively, and the upper and lowersets of teeth and gums I9 and '20, respectively, as viewed in Fig. 2. The device of Figs. 5 and 6 has a forwardly extending portion shown as a whole at 38 which is connected to the mouthpiece 31 by means of a web or connecting portion 39. The external portion 38 is substantially the same as the portion 24 of Figs. 1 and 2, its upper forward face 40 being concave as is its lower forward face or wall 4|. These two portions are separated by an undercut shoulder or projection 42 which corresponds to the similar shoulders 21 and 36 of the preceding views. The inner or back wall or surface of the portion 38 is concave, as seen at 43, and in this respect corresponds to the similar portion 28 of Figs. 1 and 2.

In use, the form of Figs. 5 and 6 has the mouthpiece 31 inserted between the lips and the teeth and the longer leg or portion of a bobby pin has its free end brought into engagement with the concave surface 4! and with the undercut groove to permit the legs to be opened or spread apart, as seen in Fig. 2.

A somewhat further modified form of device or'means for opening bobby pins is disclosed in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 of the drawings. In this form of the invention the convex or segmental convex member or surface forming the mouthpiece 43 is preferably similar to the mouthpiece 14 of Fig. 1. Projecting forwardly from the portion or mouthpiece and connected by means of a web 44 with said mouthpiece, is a forward portion shown as a whole at 45. As shown, the portion 45 is preferably of oblong outline or contour in front elevation, see Fig. .8, and is provided with a lower face, surface or wall 46, an upper outer wall or surface 41 and an intermediate wedge or V-shaped portion 48. At one side, as shown, the right side of Fig. 8, the portion 45 is provided with a stop or Wall 49, see also Fig. 9.

The outer face or surface '41 overhangs the wedge-shaped portion 48 and provides, with the outer surface of said portion, an undercut groove 50, see particularly Fig. 9.

In use, the portion 43 is inserted in the mouth and biting pressure is applied by the teeth to the upper and lower surfaces of said mouthpiece. A bobby pin to be opened may then be brought into engagement with the front wall or surface 46 and moved into contact with the wedge or V-shaped portion 48. As the free ends of the legs of the bobby pinengage and straddle the wedge 48, they will be opened or spread apart as the pin is moved from the left toward the right in Fig. 8. The pin cannot ride off the wedgeshaped member 48 because of the provision of the stop member or wall 49. If, in bringing the ends of the legs of a bobby pin into contact with a member or portion 45, the long leg of the pin should come in contact with the underout shoulder 56, pressure or pulling action on the pin will open the legs as desired. During the opening action, the pin cannot accidentally ride off the member 45 toward the right of Fig. 8. due to the presence of the stop or wall 49.

With particular reference to Fig. 12 of the drawings it will be noted that, if desired, the forms of Figs. 1, 3 and 5 may be provided with double undercut shoulders in place of the single undercut shoulders or projections 21, 3G and 32 of these figures. A fragment of a forward portion or member of a device for opening bobby pins is shown in Fig. 12 and is indicated at 5|. The outer face 52 of this member has a substantially dovetail projection which provides upwardly and downwardly extendin undercut shoulders or projections 53 and 54, either of which may be employed to open or spread apart the legs of a bobby pin. This may be accom plished by bringing the longer leg of the pin into engagement with the wall or surface 52 and then into contact with either of the undercut shoulders 53 or 54.

In Figs. and 11 of the drawings a still further modified form of the present invention is illustrated. As seen in Fig. 11, the device for opening bobby pins in accordance with this form of invention is provided with a convex member or surface forming a mouthpiece, shown as a whole at 55, which may be similar to the crescent shaped, arcuate or curved mouthpiece M of Fig. 1. Extending forwardly from and integral with the mouthpiece 55 is an external portion shown as a whole at 56 and which is connected to the mouthpiece by a web or connecting portion 5?. The face of the portion 56, see Fig. 10, is provided with a recessed portion having an upwardly and rearwardly inclined or depressed guide surface 58 providing at its apex preferably an undercut shoulder or projection 55. To open a bobby pin, the free end of the longer leg of the pin is brought into contact with the surface 58 and moved inwardly until it engages the undercut shoulder 59. In this position, outward pressure or pull on the pin will separate or spread the legs thereof apart. If desired, a portion similar to the portion 53 may be provided on the upper outer face of member 56 and said additional portion may-terminate in an undercut shoulder similar to the shoulder 59 as shown. In other words, the outer or forward face or surface of the member 56 may have one or a pair of portions 58 and 59.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A structure of the class described including a segmental convex surface adapted to extend between the upper and lower jaws of a user to be held by the application of biting pressure thereupon, said segmental convex surface having depressions on its opposite faces for receiving the teeth of the upper and lower sets of the user, a portion positioned forwardly from said convex surface a sufficient distance to provide clearance externally of the lips of the user, an interconnecting portion of substantial length between the segmental convex surface and the forwardly positioned portion, and a shoulder at the front of the forwardly positioned portion of a size to resist the movement of one end of a lag of a bobby pin while the corresponding end of the other leg of said pin is being drawn away from said first-named end.

2. A mouth-supported device for opening bobby pins, comprising a convex surface adapted to extend between the upper and lower jaws of a user to be held by the application of biting pressure thereupon, the upper and lower faces of said convex surface being provided with a series of indentations for engagement by the teeth of the upper and lower sets, said upper series of indentations being located slightly forwardly of the lower series of indentations to permit the teeth toassume their natural biting position, a portion positioned forwardly from said convex surface a sufficient distance to provide clearance externally of the lips of the user, an interconnecting portion between the convex surface and the forwardly positioned portion, and a shoulder at the front of the forwardly positioned portion of a size to resist the movement of one end of a leg of a bobby pin while the corresponding end of the other leg of said pin is being drawn away from said first-named end.

3. A mouth-supported device for opening bobby pins according to claim 2, wherein the axis from front to back of the interconnecting and forward portions is out of line with the corresponding axis of the convex surface.

l. A mouth-supported device for opening bobby pins, including a surface adapted to extend between the upper and lower jaws of a user to be held by the application of biting pressure thereupon, a portion positioned forwardly from said surface a sufficient distance to provide clearance externally of the lips of the user, an interconnecting portion between said surface and the forwardly positioned portion, and a shoulder at the front of the forwardly positioned portion of a size to resist the movement of one end of a leg of a bobby pin while the corresponding end of the other leg of said pin is being drawn away from said first-named end, the outer face of said forwardly positioned portion being concave.

5. A mouth-supported device for opening bobby pins, including a segmental convex surface adapted to extend between the upper and lower jaws of a user to be held by the application of biting pressure thereupon, a biconcave portion positioned forwardly from said convex surface a sufficient distance to provide clearance externally of the lips of the user, an interconnecting portion of substantial length between the segmental convex surface and the biconcave forwardly po-. sitioned portion, and a shoulder at the front of the biconcave forwardly positioned portion of a size to resist the movement of one end of a leg of a bobby pin while the corresponding end of the other leg of said pin is being drawn away from said first-named end.

6. vA mouth-supported device for opening bobby pins, comprising a mouthpiece in the form of a segmental .convexsurface adapted to be subjected to biting pressure, and a portion positioned forwardly from and connected to said mouthpiece far enough to provide clearance externally of the lips of the user, said forwardly positioned portion including a concave outer surface having a ridge-like projection extending substantially across saidsurface and adapted to be engaged by the longer .leg of a bobby pin to resist its movement while the other leg of said pin is being moved into open position.

'7. A mouth-supported device for opening bobby pins, comprising a generally crescentshaped mouthpiece whose opposed surfaces are anatomically formed for the application of a biting pressure by the user, and a portion positioned forwardly from and connected to said mouthpiece a sufficient distance to provide clearance externally of the lips of the user, said forwardly positioned portion having its axis .from front to back out of line with the corresponding axis of the mouthpiece, saidfforwardly positioned portion also having a wedge-shaped projection for opening or spreading .a bobby pin when the legs thereof are caused to engage said wedgeshaped proj ection.

,8. A mouth-supported device for opening bobby pins, comprising a mouthpiece adapted to be positioned within the mouth of a user and including a segmental convex surface, .an external member adapted to be positioned outside the mouth of the user and having a portion connecting it to said mouthpiece, and an undercut shoulder carried by the outer face 'of the external member, said outer face having an upwardly and rearwardly inclined guide surface adapted to direct the free ends of a bobby pin into engagement with said undercut shoulder, said shoulder serving to resist the movement of one free end'of the bobby pin while the other free end thereof is being drawn ,away from said first end.

9. A, mouth-supporteddevice for opening bobby pins, comprising a mouthpiece having at least one segmental recessedarea arranged to provide a biting surface for the teeth, a portion positioned forwardly fromsaid mouthpiece a sufficient-distance to provide clearance externally of the lips of the user, an interconnecting portion of substantial length between and connecting the mouthpiece and the forwardly positioned portion, and a shoulder-at the front of the forwardly positioned portion of -a size to resist the movement of one end of a leg of a bobby pin while the corresponding end of the other leg of said pin is being drawn away from said first-named end.

10. A mouth-supported device for opening bobby pins, comprising a mouthpiece in the form of a segmental convex surface adapted to be subjected to biting pressure, and a portion positioned forwardly from andconnected to said mouthpiece far enough to provide clearance externally of the lips of the user, said forwardly positioned portion having a pair of undercut shoulders disposed on its outer surface adapted to be engaged by the longer leg of a hobby pin to resist .its movement while the other leg of said pin is being moved into open position, said undercut shoulders being arranged oneabove the other.

11. A structure of the class described including -a convex member having upper and lower biting surfaces, each having a series of depressions arranged in a course corresponding to the bite of a user, said member being adapted to be held between the upper and lower jaws of a user by the application of biting pressure thereupon, a portion positioned forwardly of said biting surfaces a sufficient distance to provide clearance externally of the lips of the user when so held between the jaws, an interconnecting portion between the convex member and the forwardly positioned portion, and a shoulder at the front of said forwardly positioned portion of a size to receive and resist the movement of one end of a leg of a bobby pin while the corresponding end of the other leg of said pin is being drawn away from said first named end.-

1 2. A mouthsupported device for opening bobby pins, comprising a generally crescentshaped-mouthpiece having upper and lower biting surfaces, each having aseries of depressionsarranged in a course corresponding to the bite of a user, said member being adapted to be held between the upper and lower jaws of a user by the application of biting pressure thereupon, and a portion positioned forwardly from and connected to saidmouthpiece, thedistance between said portion and the nearest surface of the mouthpiece being sufiicient to provide clearance externally of the lips of a user when the device is held between the jaws, said forwardly positioned portion having an undercut-groove in its outer face adapted to be engaged by one leg of a bobby pin to resist its movement while the other leg of said pin is being drawn away into open position.

13. A mouth-supported device for opening bobby pins, comprising a'segmental convex member having upper and lower biting surfaces, each having a' series of depressions arranged in a course corresponding to the bite of a user, said member being adapted to lie in a substantially horizontal plane when held between the upper and lower jaws of -a user by the application of biting pressure thereupon, a portion positioned forwardly from and connected to said segmental convex surface, the distance between said portion and the nearest surface of the mouthpiece being suflicient to provide-clearanceexternally of the lipsof a user when the device is held between the jaws, said. forwardly positioned portion extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the planeof said convex surface, and an undercut shoulder on the outer .face of the forwardly positioned portion of a size to resist the movement of one end of a bobby pin while-the corresponding end of theother leg of said pin is being drawn away from said first-named end.

WALTER F. COGSWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the .file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1;302,004 Brown Apr. 29, 1919 1,466,559 Purdy Aug. 28, 1923 1,586,499 Worth May 25, 1926 2,168,432 Ordal Aug. 8, 1939 2,176,052 .Beyer Oct. 17, 1939 2,192,558 Poindexter Mar. ,5, 1940 2,441,947 Welch May 25, 1948 2.507.031 Maggio et a1 .May 9, 1950 

